Working From Hell
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko at Pexels I was at the receiving end of a rant from a young associate recently, whom I will call Mike. I don’t mind when Mike calls me to rant, usually late at night on his commute home from work. He needs to unload, and I am happy to be a […]
Judge deems boy’s injuries at Grande Prairie daycare “unfortunate fluke”
By Marcel Strigberger | April 16, 2026 911. No, not a distress call. Just the age of the parties in a recent Alberta Court of Justice case, Robinson v. Fellin, 2026 ABCJ 2. Nine-year-old Dominic Robinson sued Xavier Fellin, age 11, who struck him with a small toy dinosaur during an argument at a Grande Prairie, AB, summer […]
Hate Everything or Risk the Consequences
Photo by Bastian Riccard at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | April 10, 2026 I would have to guess that some of the people at the law firm where I toiled for 34 years like what I write on LinkedIn and some don’t. The reason that I have to guess is that, with the very occasional […]
Septuagenarian lawyer’s AI caution: Requires child supervision
By Marcel Strigberger | April 9, 2026 I am a septuagenarian who is uncomfortable adapting to technology. I thought we had it all with the invention of the sticky note. I never use self-checkout at supermarkets or big box retailers, as not only do I prefer the banter with a live cashier, but that voice […]
Pro Bonzo
Photo by Arindam at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | April 8, 2026 A brave articling student once quipped that, “If you say ‘pro bono’ near Murray, you’d better be talking about Sonny and Cher”. Now that was a tad unfair. It was not that I was against our firm doing pro bono work, but I did […]
New Brunswick assault charge involves accused offering police ‘a present’
By Marcel Strigberger | March 24, 2026 Penalty: Jeremy Robert Weldon, 75 hours of community service for farting. I suppose some elaboration is in order. This is part of the sentence imposed by a provincial court judge in Moncton, N.B. on the gentleman who decided to lead the Mounties on a bit of a chase after driving […]
I am Perfect. Why Aren’t You?
Photo by Furkan Salihoğlu at Pexels By Murray Gottheil | March 22, 2025 Paul is a junior lawyer. His supervising lawyer expects every document that Paul creates to be perfect. To ensure this, the supervisor reviews and often revises all of Paul’s draft documents, no matter how routine they may be. Paul resents the extra time […]
Pet project: What to do about furry friends in family court
By Marcel Strigberger | March 17, 2026 Pets. Are the courts in a divorce action where both parties seek custody to treat them like children or property? The law in this area is all over the zoo. An Alberta judge, Douglas Mah, recently held in a case dealing with four cats that pets are to be treated […]
BARE BONES BRIEFS: A classic case of hubris: lawyers protecting misbehaving lawyers | Regulator says lawyers naughtier than accountants | Environmentalists: at least lawyers don’t make bombs or help sell cigars | Should AI-generated docs attract privilege? | DLA Piper appoints Regional Managing Partners
RECORD FINE FOR AI MISUSE IS NO DETERRENT TO LAWYERS In what is said to be the highest fine imposed so far in Canada on lawyers who misuse AI, the Alberta Court of Appeal has imposed personal costs of $17,500 + GST on an Alberta lawyer who filed a factum drafted by a contractor that […]
Law Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry
By Murray Gottheil | February 20, 2026 The old timers among us will remember the 1970 movie Love Story, which featured what may be the stupidest line of dialogue ever. I refer to the statement that “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” It would take a lawyer to build upon that bit of nonsense […]